20 Steps to Heal From Adrenal Fatigue Naturally

Did you know that almost everyone struggling with thyroid disease also has some form of adrenal fatigue? When the adrenals become taxed, they tell the pituitary to slow down the thyroid. If you struggle with thyroid disease, it’s important you take steps to heal the adrenals so the rest of your endocrine system can return to homeostasis.

Here are some common symptoms of adrenal fatigue:

A tendency to be a night person Hair loss Having difficulty falling asleep Waking up in the middle of the night with difficulty falling back asleep You’re a slow starter in the morning Feeling keyed up and having trouble calming down Low blood pressure Headaches after exercising Clenching or grinding your teeth Chronic low- or middle-back pain Difficulty maintaining chiropractic adjustments Craving salty foods Perspiring easily Chronic fatigue or getting drowsy often Afternoon yawning Afternoon headache Anxiety Panic attacks Seasonal or chronic allergies Pain on the medial (inner) side of the knee or knees Needing to wear sunglasses Dizziness when you stand up Difficulty losing weight Gaining weight around the waistline Getting upset or angry easily

Doesn’t that sound like “modern life?” No wonder people are having so many endocrine issues!

What do the adrenals do?

The adrenal glands are the body’s emergency system. When the body is under chronic stress, the adrenals will send out cortisol into the bloodstream. Over time, chronic cortisol output will weaken the endocrine system, liver, digestive system, and brain; it will also “slow down” your thyroid. So, if you are wanting to reduce your thyroid symptoms, start with healthy adrenal glands.

What do you eat?

While a lower carb diet is fabulous to reduce inflammation and many symptoms of thyroid disease, eating this way for too long can put stress on the adrenals and cause hormonal imbalance. So it’s important to get good, healthy carbs into your diet each day such as: potatoes (make sure to eat with plenty of butter), root vegetables, peas, properly prepared legumes or gluten-free grains (if you can tolerate them), apples, pears, berries, and beets.

I like Dr. Christianson’s idea of eating one golfball-size portion of carbs at breakfast, two golfball-size portions of carbs at lunch, and three golfball-size portions of carbs at dinner. Using this method, dinner should be the largest meal of the day. And most importantly, don’t stress about your food. Do the best you can, and let the rest go.

As you read the list below, remember: this is a marathon, not a sprint. Fully healing the adrenals may take up to 12 months. The good news is that even making just a few changes can help you feel better within weeks or even days.

Here are 20 Steps to Heal Adrenal Fatigue:

1. As soon as you wake up, drink a glass of water along with 1/4 teaspoon of Celtic sea salt. Then, throughout the day, have a pinch of sea salt with each glass of water and also use it to season your food. Daily total consumption of about 2 teaspoons of Celtic sea salt is a good place to start. The 80+ minerals in the salt will help nourish the adrenals and endocrine system.

2. Eat breakfast within one hour of waking. If you wait any longer than this, it can cause your blood sugar levels to decrease too much and your adrenals can start producing excess cortisol.

3. Eat regular meals throughout the day and include some protein, complex carbohydrates and healthy fat in each meal. I know this is a simple step, but skipping meals can put a strain on the adrenals.

4. Remove all processed foods from your diet. Processed foods are a stressor on the body, and the goal is to remove stressors as much as possible to help support the adrenals.

5. Only do low-impact exercise like walking, pilates, gentle yoga or stretching. High impact exercise puts strain on the adrenals, especially when the adrenals are already fatigued. If you’re having trouble losing weight, I know this can seem counter-productive, but I’ve seen clients lose weight by resting and following the steps I’m listing here.

6. Sit down to eat each meal and eat slowly. Don’t eat on-the-go, when you’re stressed, driving, etc. Here’s an entire article to help you understand the importance of eating in a slow and relaxed state.

7. Diffuse essential oils throughout the day to help you feel more relaxed. If you can’t diffuse the oils, put a drop or two on the bottoms of your feet or on the spine twice a day to help lower stress levels. In fact, this study found that inhaling lavender essential oil can decrease cortisol levels. That’s good news for the adrenals! To learn exactly which oils are best for adrenal fatigue and how to use them, sign up to take my free online masterclass titled, “Essential Oils for Adrenal Fatigue”. It’s just 45 minutes and you’ll walk away with all sorts of new ideas!

9. Avoid intermittent fasting or a super low-carb diet right now. While IR and a low carbohydrate diet can be very helpful for many health issues, I don’t recommend it when there is adrenal imbalance because it can create additional stress on the body. Here’s a video on the topic.

10. Know that you’re in this for the long-haul. It takes a minimum of about 6-9 months to balance the adrenals and for some people it can take up to a year. Having a long-term mindset can help you achieve the goal of adrenal balance. Be patient and kind with yourself.

11. Take an epsom salt bath a few times a week (or each evening, if you can). When you’re stressed, the first mineral your body burns through is magnesium (this is why so many people are magnesium deficient!). Soaking in a bath with 1 cup of epsom salts and a few drops of your favorite essential oil will help you relax and replenish your magnesium stores.

12. Go to bed by 9pm each night. Honestly, the best way to heal your adrenals is with sleep.

15. Drink plenty of filtered water each day. Drink 1/2 your weight in ounces is a good goal — a 160-pound person should drink about 80 ounces of water per day. Hydration is really important for the endocrine system. Without the right amount of water, the body can’t transport the necessary nutrients and hormones to the cells properly. So, please make sure you’re getting enough water.

16. Eat as many fresh organic vegetables as possible at all three meals with some healthy fats. There is no limit on vegetable intake.

17. Include protein at each meal – get these proteins from meat, poultry, wild seafood, eggs, etc.

18. Eat magnesium-rich foods. Magnesium-rich foods help support the adrenal glands. Foods such as dark leafy greens, fatty fish, avocado, and soaked nuts, seeds and legumes are all good sources of magnesium to include in your diet throughout the week.

19. Eliminate all caffeine. I know this is a hard one, but your adrenals will thank you! Here’s a post about how I kicked the coffee habit — with step-by-step instructions for you.

20. Take one day of rest each week. While it’s popular to “hustle”, that kind of daily mentality can lead to all sorts of health issues and will strain the adrenals. Take a day each week to rest. Turn off your phone, get outside, or just sleep all day if that’s what your body needs. It’s ok. God set the example by taking a day to rest, so I order my week that way, too!

If you’re curious to know exactly what your adrenals are up to, you can call our office at Biodynamic Wellness and order an adrenal test kit. It’s $120 and will give you insight into which stage of adrenal burnout you’re in. You can also schedule a consult with me and I’ll write up a personalized protocol to help you bounce back from adrenal fatigue. I’ve used many of these steps with my clients and have seen fantastic results!

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hello my name is Daniela, I have been Dx with hypothyroidism since 1991 I have been taking tyroid med all these years so glad to find your blog can you address where to start to ensure my thyroid health I feel like I have a lot to catch up !😟

I didn’t realize you are local. When this whole corona virus thing is over I will pay you a visit for sure as I’m in Scripps Ranch. For now I am reading all your information and attempting todo everything I can. Thank you!

I am interested in doing the cortisol test and then having you write up a personalize plan for me. I've been dealing with adrenal fatigue for over two years now and I have done a lot of what you are recommending but I still feel stuck. How much are your consultations and does that include the personalized plan?

The initial consult is $250 which includes a 2 hour virtual or phone appointment with me where we go over your complete health history. We also send you symptom surveys ahead of time that you complete, and we will go over those at that time as well. After your appointment I will write up a diet, detox, and supplement protocol for you. My clients then have a 30 minute follow-up appointment each month ($60) until we don't need to be meeting anymore because their health goals have been met.

Hi there, such great info! Thank you for sharing w the world. I have been chronicling fatigue for over 10 years now. I have a very hard time digesting fats, your butter mints sound amazing. I also have hypoglycemia so those have loved to try them. Any idea what what can cause fat malabsorption? Also I have been wanting to do a hormone/adrenal test for some time. Do you by any chance use Dutch test?

Low stomach acid is usually the root cause of fat malabsorption, but then again, it could be other things. Yes, we use the Dutch test in our office. If you'd like to order one, or need help knowing what to do after you get your results, give our office a call. I work with all clients long distance and am happy to help! Biodynamic Wellness - 858.259.6000

Can you consult via Skype to Australia I am gaining weight I do not over eat In fact probably under eat I do some of the stuff But I’m not organised enough. Can we skype and get the test kit to Australia I can use PayPal Jenny Groves Ps I think I have Candida

We can arrange Skype consults through our office, but I'm currently booked out for several months, so I recommend taking my online Thyroid Support and Health online course. Here's the info for you! https://deliciouslyorganic.net/thyroid-online-course/

A couple of questions for you! If medication has been started and used for a long time for hypothyroidism, can it slowly be tapered off and replaced with natural therapies? Is Celtic sea salt superior to Himalayan sea salt for some reason or are they interchangeable? Thanks!

That's interesting because a whike back I did saliva cortisol testing and my cortisol levels showed to spike in the evening when they should be going down and they drop in the morning when they should be coming up. But yet I am convinced I have adrenal fatigue along with the hypothyroidism that I know I have. Hence my reason for signing up to do your protocol. Thoughts??

Hello. Loved all of this information. I was diagnosed with insulin resistant diabetes about 5 months ago. Reason for finally seeing Dr. was the knee issue mentioned here, so I think I also have adrenal fatigue. (they couldn't find problem with knees after about $1,000.00 of medical tests that I was responsible for paying!) I can't seem to buy the Cataplex B...from manufacturer, it is $42. for 360 pills, Amazon is charging nearly $60! Why don't they sell these directly? I live in Oregon, the closest doctor that sells it is Washington state. Any ideas? After reading about this product, I'd like to try it, but NOT at $60.!! Again, thank you for this detailed info, I'm trying now to follow all suggestions here.

These are fabulous supplements that you can get through a liscened practitioner. I work as a Nutritional Therapist at Biodynmaic Wellness and we can ship any of these supplements. If you give our office a call, we can give you the info to purchase them.

I have found this article very informative and I thank you for that !!! I have been drinking ERW water ( Electrolyzed Reduces Water) for the past 3 years and it did helped with quite a few of my problems. I 'm just hoping that it is ok to keep drinking that ?!

Depending on the client, I usually recommend they do low impact exercise for the first few months until we see their symptoms dissipate and/or we see their cortisol levels are returning back to normal via a saliva test. Then, we can start adding back some higher impact exercise, but the kind will vary on the clients health history.

We are all biochemically individual, so it really just depends on how healthy your adrenals are and what your body is needing. In general, I don't recommend any caffeine when adrenal imbalance present.

Thank you for the article. I’ve been fighting adrenal fatigue for a very long tine. I’ve been eating low carb and practicing intermittent fasting daily. For me the biggest takeaway that might help me is to eat more frequently and add more carbs through the day, maybe that’s the key for me. As always, thank you Carrie for sharing. ❤️

Yes, our office can order those labs. We do not treat diseases, but give you a nutritional therapy protocol that includes diet, supplements, gentle detox, etc. to support the body and help bring it into balance.

WOW , a really reeeaally good read .. Every word I can relate too . It so makes sense & I just don’t understand why this is never even brought up as even a ‘Maybe’ this is what you are suffering with From our doctors . I have been sick & unwell for just over 18 months now . I’ve had blood test that come back as normal & going to the doctors is just a complete waste of time .. The nausea I have everyday is so servere that I’ve often thought about ending my life . I body feels like I’m poisoned . I live in the UK & I’m so greatful to have stumbled across you & this information . It makes total sense THANK YOU

I'm so glad you found this info helpful. There are so many things you can do naturally to reduce symptoms and feel better. If you get the point of wanting to end your life because the pain is so bad, please reach out to someone for help. I work with all clients long-distance, so if you need personalized help, please send an email to our office to set up a consult. We just started a very economical option that might work well for your situation (since you're in the UK). You can check out the details here: https://deliciouslyorganic.net/lab-work-analysis-package/

Hello Carrie, So grateful I found you first on Instagram. I've shared you with so many people. You are a very gifted person. Thank you for sharing with all of us. I go both ways with the adrenal's. Twice now I've had my adrenal's stuck in high all day. Like clock work they would go down around 4:00 pm each day. The days were a night mare. Frightening. What do you suggest for me to do please?

Great information, thank you! I have the majority of these symptoms but not all and I’ve been struggling with Hypothyroid for several years. I went undiagnosed for awhile as my TSH was in normal ranges although still suffering symptoms. My vitamin D levels tanked and I got very sick and finally diagnosed. They’ve not tested for everything as it’s conventional medicine, I request testing but they say I’m in range. The issue is that I’m still sick! I cannot lose weight, feel as if I’m always in flight or fight mode, losing hair, puffy face, inflamed, tired & depressed with no real interest in doing things anymore. I know you cannot diagnose but could the adrenal steps help with all of this or do I need to dig deeper? I read everything and it’s overwhelming, I’m going gluten, grain and dairy free in hopes that will reduce inflammation so I can heal. I’m just lost and everything is expensive, it’s a shame my medical doctor won’t help me the way a functional medical doctor will. Any advice on where to start and help myself get back to feeling good other than what I’m doing in addition to the list? Thanks!

If you'd like further help, I recommend booking a Lab Analysis service with me. You send in your labs and paperwork that the office sends over to you, and then I write up a 3-month protocol that includes diet, supplements, detox/drainage therapies, lifestyle change recommendations, etc. It's a great way to get some one-on-one help at a reduced price. :) Here's info: https://www.biodynamicwellness.com/lab-work-analysis/

Several months after reading this for the first time and writing in, (2017) I was diagnosed as having acquired type 2 diabetes. Short story, I am NOT taking meds to control my blood sugar, but am using the Keto diet. I know that in other blogs you have written against this diet, but it is the ONLY way right now that I have to control my glucose levels. It is working. I am hoping that after a year or so, I can return to eating small amounts occasionally of root vegetables and other healthy carb heavy foods, but just not until (hopefully) my body begins to process insulin correctly. I believe I also have an adrenal issue. Unfortunately, most of the suggestions here go against my diet restrictions. Any other ideas? Once some financial issues are cleared up, I may contact you for further help, but that may be some time.

I believe I have a few things going on. Adrenal Fatigue, Chronic Fatigue, Hypothyroidism, etc... I have factor 5 (V) and I am anemic as far as I've been told. I'm curious what your thoughts are about always being hungry? Is this a symptom of these items (all the fatigues and the hypothyroidism? My hunger never stops. Ever. If I can get these things all back on track would this then clear up too? Thanks.... great info. Love the blog.

I’ve had Hashimoto’s since 2007. I was diagnosed with adrenal fatigue about 4 years ago. I’ve struggled with feeling better and losing weight. But, my cortisol levels tanked to 0.06. I had to be on steroids for 4 months and I have vowed never to do that again. I do take an adrenal supplement, but my question is do all your recommendations help with lowered cortisol too? Because my adrenal system has already gone past the elevated stage and is failing.

I have adrenal, thyroid and now also blood sugar issues. In order to keep my blood sugar in the zone, I have to stop eating all carbs and starches. Even root veggies and beans raise numbers too high. This corrects my blood but is killing my adrenals - aching back, body inflammation, and likely tanking my thyroid. Also excerise - brisk walking lowers my blood sugar but exhausts me and makes my temperAture drop instead of raise. Many adrenal tonics do not work as for example licorice is too invigorating for me. Help!!! Should I go on the diabetes meds to keep my adrenals and thyroid happy?

That part at the end where you said that it’s okay to take a day to rest honestly made me tear up. I’ve been dealing with Hashimoto’s for about a year now. I got really sick with mono and never fully recovered, and struggled so much with the whole concept of going easy on my body. I just wanted to get up and go and I couldn’t. My doctor put me on some supplements and changed my diet, but I haven’t exactly known why. Your writing is really insightful and I appreciate knowing the science behind all of this. Thanks for sharing!

Hi Carrie, I just find your site and read about your story. I am now 21 and I was diagnosed with both Hashimoto’s disease and Addison’s disease when i was 17. Since then every morning I am taking pills for both of my diseases. It was hard for me to accept it first but I became used to it and gave up on myself eventually. Here in Italy i visited 5 different doctors and all day say is that i could already be dead and i should be happy to take my pills. I was skinny and beautiful but now i have a puffy face and so as you may already know. Do you think is it also possible for me to heal ? thank you so much for giving me hope.

I'm so glad you found my site! It's hard to say what your outcome could be, but I'm confident there are things you can do to reduce your symptoms, help balance your hormones, and start to feel normal again! I've seen it time and time again with my clients and those who are in my online thyroid course. I recommend taking this free online class as it will give you some first steps to take: https://deliciouslyorganic.net/thyroid-disease-masterclass

Hi there! Does an elevated Rt3 (41) mean adrenal fatigue? I just received that result in my bloodwork and trying to read up on how to resolve this. Would love to see if your office would be a good fit to help me!

Hi, I scrolled through the comments, and found many useful topics, but I didn't see any about vegetarians. Do you have diet protocols for vegetarians? I've been vegetarian for a long time, and don't wish to change that. Thanks, your information is great.

I don't have any specific info for vegetarians and adrenal fatigue. Foods like: butter, cultured dairy, eggs, etc. are all wonderful to eat alongside the many vegetables and fruits available to nourish the body.

My girlfriend has been suffering from these issues for several decades. It took me a while to pinpoint her issues to adrenal fatigue. I noticed you recommend Standard Process Cataplex B, but what about their Adrenal Complex? One or the other, or both?